Trees Ahoy !

In many parts of the South West there are big tracts of Karri trees growing. The Karri tree is unique to this part of Australia and they can grow up to 90m tall - one of the tallest tress in the world. They only reach their top height in 100-125 years and can live to be 350 years or more.

Today we drove down to Pemberton and went to the Gloucester Tree which contains a fire look-out platform at the top - about 61m above the ground. (See more information below about these unique structures and the history behind this particular one.) Tim and Gordon climbed to the top on the metal-spike ladder/stairway - an amazing experience with photos below :

A view of the tree (with the bottom part cut off) the platform is just visible at the top

The start of the ladder/stairway

Gordon begins the climb

Trees ahoy - the view over the surrounding forest from the crows nest on top

Tim and Gordon relieved that they made it to the top

Gordon on the final descent

Excerpt from the WA Department of Environment and Conservation web site :

The Gloucester Tree, in Gloucester National Park, is probably Western Australia's most famous Karri tree. This 60-metre-high giant towers above the forest surrounding Pemberton. In the past, foresters maintained a regular fire lookout from its lofty crown. Today, visitors climb to the cabin in its upper branches for sensational views of the surrounding karri forest.

The Gloucester Tree was one of eight lookout trees built between 1937 and 1952 in the karri forest. The construction of fire lookout towers in the tallest trees of Western Australia's karri forest was the practical response to one of the most serious threats to forest communities in the South-West.

The Gloucester Tree lookout was built in 1947, in the highest of the tall karri trees near Pemberton. The floor of its cabin sits 58 metres above the ground. The tree was one of a group on a ridge overlooking the Eastbrook in an area that had not been logged when timber cutting operations of the Pemberton Sawmill passed through. Conveniently located just three kilometres from Pemberton, it gives a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.

The suitability of the tree as a lookout was verified by forester Jack Watson after an epic climb. Using climbing boots and a belt to scale the tree, it took him six hours to reach a height of 58 metres and return. The ascent was made more difficult by the massive girth of the tree, some 7.3 metres, and the fact that limbs had to be negotiated from 39.6 metres. This feat is claimed to be a record climb, and is widely recognised in forestry circles as one of the greatest efforts of courage and endurance in the Australian forest.

Pegging the ladder, and lopping of the branches, was carried out by another legendary south-western forester, George Reynolds. During this work, a branch which he had cut through twisted in its fall and snapped off a number of pegs. George remained aloft for several hours while his assistant Len Nicol repegged the damaged section from below.

http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/hotproperty/property/national-parks/gloucester-national-park.html